Is Putin now on the brink of lighting the fuse of World War III?

Putin's 'nuclear' standoff at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has generated world-wide condemnation that he simply cannot ignore.

As reported by Tim Lister (left),

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of maximizing the risk of a nuclear disaster at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which was taken over by Russian forces in early March.
...
"If the Soviet authorities tried to hide the Chernobyl disaster and its full consequences, then the Russian authorities are much more cynical and dangerous. They themselves do everything to maximize the risk of a nuclear disaster and lie to the whole world that someone else is allegedly to blame," he said." (CNN : 11 August 2022) (my emphasis)
...
Zelensky accused Russia of turning the nuclear power plant into a "battlefield."" (CNN : 12 August 2022) (my emphasis) 

Inquirer.net : YouTube : August 2022

                               

And as as now reported by Michelle Nichols (right),

"The United Nations has the logistics and security capacity to support a visit by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, a spokesman said, but a Russia diplomat imposed conditions, saying routing any mission through Ukraine's capital was too dangerous." (Reuters : 16 AuguThomas Manchst 2022) (my emphasis) (cf also: The South African : 15 August 2022)

Putin continues to find spurious arguments for NOT allowing the UN's IAEA to visit and inspect the safety of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. 

Why???

Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that, as reported by Marc Santora, Michael Schwirtz and Jack Nicas,

"Despite suffering grievous losses over nearly six months of war, Russia still holds a distinct advantage over Ukraine in a head-to-head fight featuring brutal artillery battles. But Ukraine’s military has achieved some new battlefield success, waging the war on its own terms.
...
Supplied with a growing arsenal of long-range Western weapons and aided by local fighters known as partisans, Ukraine has been able to hit Russian forces deep behind enemy lines, disrupting critical supply lines and, increasingly, striking targets that are key to Moscow’s combat potential." (Japanese Times (from: New York Times): 9 August 2022) (my emphasis)

As also reported by Thomas Manch,

"A further 120 New Zealand soldiers will deploy to the United Kingdom to train Ukrainian soldiers for frontline fighting against Russian troops.
...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the deployment on Monday afternoon, at her weekly press conference." (Stuff : 15 August 2022) (my emphasis)

Further adding to Putin's headaches, we now learn from John Varga (left) that,

"Putin's invasion of Ukraine has been a political and economic disaster for Russia, with the country now on the verge of becoming a pariah state. .... Moscow's increasing isolation on the world stage and the ruinous consequences of sanctions appear to have concentrated minds within Putin's inner circle.
...
With no end in sight to the war, reports have emerged that key officials close to the Russian president have decided to take matters into their own hands.
...
Ilya Ponomarev (right), an opposition activist and former MP, claimed

the mood among Kremlin elites was now one of panicand that there was a clear desire to negotiate an end to the war.

He said: "The signal of a desire to negotiate was sent by a person in Putin’s inner circle.
...
"I can’t name him. But you wouldn’t believe it. (Express : 14 August 2022) (my emphasis)

Supporting Ponomarev's claim that, "that key officials close to the Russian president have decided to take matters into their own hands", is the arrest of Igor Girkin.

As reported by Catherine Meyer-Funnell (left),

"Vladimir Putin is facing another global humiliation as Moscow have detained their own spy chief [Igor Girkin, also known as Igor Strelkov] as he was heading to the front line to fight, reports claim. (Express : 15 August 2022) (my emphasis)

Perhaps the offer of Kim Jung Un of North Korea to send 100,000 North Korean soldiers to help him in his failing war with Ukraine really underscores Putin's growing anxiety of the fractures ocurring within his 'siloviki'.

As reported by A.B. Abrams,

"Reports from a range of Russian sources and from the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics in eastern Ukraine have indicated that North Korea may deploy its armed forces for operations in the Ukrainian theater.

Reports of plans to dispatch military personnel to Donetsk and Luhansk.... emerged from the media outlets of the republics, before being more widely publicized on the Channel One Russia state TV channel.

Although yet to be confirmed, the possibility of North Korean forces being deployed in some capacity to Ukraine  ......  remains significant based on prior trends in Pyongyang’s overseas force deployments and the benefits it, the contested republics, and Moscow itself could gain." (The Diplomat : 10 August 2022) (my emphasis) (cf also: Brady Knox : Washington Examiner : 15 August 2022)

                                                              CRUX : YouTube : 6 August 2022

As Putin turns the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant into a battlefield, North Korean troops joining those of Putin's demoralised soldiers in his war with Ukraine will be the spark that ignites a wider conflict in Europe and in the Far East.

Is Putin now on the brink of lighting the fuse of World War III?

STOP PRESS

19 August 13.48 UK time

BBC News reports that,

"Russia has rejected appeals for a complete demilitarisation of the area around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine.
...
The calls come amid growing concern over safety at the site - Europe's largest nuclear plant - as both sides accuse each other of shelling the area.
...
UN Secretary General António Guterres sounded the alarm after meeting Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Lviv on Thursday.
...
"Any potential damage to Zaporizhzhia is suicide," Mr Guterres warned.
...
The Ukrainian president urged the UN to ensure demilitarisation of the nuclear plant - Europe's biggest. Mr Guterres added that "the facility must not be used as part of any military operation". (BBC News : 19 August 2022) (my emphasis)

Putin is now holding a 'nuclear gun' over the heads of EU countries that will be severely affected should his actions over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine cause a nuclear disaster.

As reported by Ellie Cook (left),

"Vladimir Putin has issued a veiled threat towards three European nations over the fate of the continent's biggest nuclear power plant.
...
As fears escalate of a nuclear disaster, the Russian defence ministry suggested that any such fallout would significantly impact three EU nations.
...
It pinpointed Germany, Poland and Slovakia as the countries most likely to be impacted by radioactive substances. (Express : 18 August 2022) (my emphasis)

Matthew Dooley (right) further reports that,

"The head of Russia's radiological protection forces Lt Gen Igor Kirllov presented a slide today which showed that in the event of a nuclear disaster, Germany, Poland and Slovakia would be heavily affected by the radiological fallout.
...
However, Olga Kosharna, an expert in nuclear energy and nuclear safety who previously worked at the State Nuclear Regulatory Authority of Ukraine, told Express.co.uk the radiation could reach several other surrounding countries depending on which way the wind is blowing during a "severe" accident.
...
She said: "In this scenario, [south blowing winds], the radioactive plume, [could] travel to Bulgaria, Romania, and the black sea region - in 23 hours it will reach Turkey." (Express : 18 August 2022) (my emphasis)

It is now time for Putin's stalwart 'siloviki' to finally act to prevent Putin from unleashing such a nuclear disaster that will, inevitably, light the fuse of WW3. 

   

(to be continued)

Putin, like a drowning man, is now beginning to clutch at "invisible" straws.

In my blog post 4 March 2022 I reported that,

"Putin is now using his first nuclear option ....

As reported by the BBC,

• "A fire broke out at the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant - Europe's largest - after a Russian shelling attack. Ukraine responders have managed to extinguish the blaze

• Ukraine’s State Emergency Services said there were no victims from the fire, which didn’t affect the reactor sites but a nearby five-storey training site

• Russia’s attack sparked immediate condemnation from Western leaders who called it a “horrific” and “reckless” act that threatened the safety of all of Europe

Ukraine President Zelensky had hours ago called on other nations to take more action immediately againsty Putin's “nuclear terror”  (BBC News : 4 March 2022) (my emphasis)"

 

 (AlJazeera : YouTube : 3 March 2022)

 Fast forward to today and, as reported by Aliss Higham,

"The press service of [Ukraine's] Energoatom National Nuclear Energy Generating Company said on Telegram today that Russia is "ready" to blow up the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
...
The company said on Telegram: "The Russians do not hide their plans and are openly blackmailing the whole world, declaring that they have mined the Zaporizhzhia NPP and that they are ready to blow it up."...

"We [Putin's Russian army] are ready for the consequences of taking this step. And you, soldiers-liberators, you must understand that we have no other way. (Express : 8 August 2022) (my emphasis)

                                                    NBC News : 8 August 2022

 And as reported by RFERL,

"UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for international inspectors to be given access to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant after Ukraine and Russia traded accusations over the recent shelling of the facility.
...
Guterres said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) needed access to the plant.
...
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi warned on August 6 that the latest attack "underlines the very real risk of a nuclear disaster."
...
Grossi urged all sides in the conflict to exercise the "utmost restraint" near the nuclear site.
...
The IAEA chief added that it was "of paramount importance" that the agency be allowed access to the plant "to provide technical support for nuclear safety and security." (RFERL : 8 August 2022) (my emphasis)

This 'nuclear blackmail' of Putin comes against the backdrop of,

• The Pentagon announced another $1 billion in military support to Ukraine Monday that includes a cache of ammunition, explosives and medical supplies. (Evan Simko-Bednarski : New York Post : 8 August 2022) (my emphasis)
•  Up to 80,000 Russians have been killed or wounded in Ukraine since the war began in late February, a senior Pentagon official estimated. "The Russians have probably taken 70 or 80,000 casualties in less than six months," Under Secretary of Defense Colin Kahl said on Monday. (EuroNews : 9 August 2022) (my emphasis)
• Underlining these losses of Putin, Arpen Rai reports that, "North Korea is ready to send 100,000 soldiers to its ally Russia as military assistance for boosting its invasion of Ukraine, Russian military expert Igor Korotchenko said on state TV." (Independent : 8 August 2022) (my emphasis)
• Ukraine says its troops advance towards Izium as fighting rages in Donbas (Natalia Zinets and Max Hunder : Reuters : 9 August 2022) (my emphasis) 
  

RFERL : 8 August 2022

• “Over the last 30 days, Russia’s assault towards the town of Bakhmut has been its most successful axis in the Donbas; however, Russia has only managed to advance about 10km during this time. (UK’s Ministry of Defence posted on Twitter with reference to British intelligence data.)
  ...
  As noted, Russia has not been able to generate capable combat infantry in sufficient numbers to secure more substantial advances despite its continued heavy use of artillery in these areas. (Ukrinform : 9 August 2022) (my emphasis) 
• An EU plan to cut gas consumption across the bloc by 15 per cent to cope with an energy price crisis spurred by Russia’s war in Ukraine comes into effect on Tuesday (9 August)
  
...
“Considering the imminent danger to the security of gas supply brought about by the Russian military aggression against Ukraine, this regulation should enter into force as a matter of urgency,” it said. (EuroActiv : 8 August 2022) (my emphasis)

Meanwhile, Putin's glove-puppet, Dmitry Medvedev, continues to rant uncontrollably.

As reported by Reuters,

"One of President Vladimir Putin's closest allies said on Monday that Russia would achieve its aims in the conflict in Ukraine on its own terms, warning that the West had a long-term plan to destroy Russia.
...
"Russia is conducting a special military operation in Ukraine and is attaining peace on our terms," former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who serves as deputy chairman of Russia's security council, told TASS in an interview." (Reuters : 8 August 2022) (my emphasis)

Medvedev's statement about Russia's beleaguered forces "attaining peace on our terms" ignores the current parlous state of the Russian economy.

Reporting on a new paper published by the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute, Ciaran McGrath informs us that,

"Russia's economy is heading for "oblivion" as a result of punitive economic sanctions imposed by the West in the wake of Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, a damning report has indicated." 

• Russia’s position as a commodities exporter has ”irrevocably deteriorated”, with the country having lost access to its “erstwhile main markets”. (cf: EU plan to cut Russian gas consumption by 15%)
• Russian domestic production has come to a “complete standstill” with no capacity to replace lost businesses, products and talent.
• The result has been a “hollowing out” of Russia’s production base, causing prices to soar. (Express : 4 August 2022) (my emphasis)

Is this what Medvedev meant when he said that Putin and his 'siloviki' will "attain peace on our terms", come what may?

Is Putin willing to completely destroy the Russian economy to satisfy his warped ambition of resuscitating the old USSR?

Indeed, notwithstanding his recent pronouncements about, "there are "no winners" in a nuclear war, and that no such conflict should ever be waged." (Miriah Davis (left) : Sky News : 2 August 2022) (my emphasis), 

.... let us not forget that shortly after his invasion of Ukraine in February of this year, "Mr Putin placed Russian nuclear forces on high alert, further heightening concerns of nuclear escalation." (ibid Miriah Davis)

Putin, like a drowning man, is now beginning to clutch at "invisible" straws.

(to be continued)

Is Putin now beginning to stare defeat in the face?

Putin's constant exhortations about the 'unstoppable' hypersonic capability of Russia's missiles  could be revealing that his invading army is seriously flagging in Ukraine.

At his recent speech to his Navy in illegally-occupied Ukraine's Crimea, David Averre (left) reports that,

"Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised his navy it will be equipped with devastating hypersonic 'Zircon' missiles in the coming months as fighting continues to rage in Ukraine and tensions escalate with the West.
...
Speaking on Russia's Navy Day aboard a vessel in St Petersburg, Putin praised Russian Tsar Peter the Great for making Russia a great sea power, and boasted of the unique capability of the hypersonic weapons. (Daily Mail : 31 July 2022) (my emphasis) (cf also: Guy Faulconbridge and William Maclean : Reuters : 31 July 2022)

Sky News : YouTube : 31 Juy 2022

And as he was boasting about his Zircon missile's capabilities, John Bacon, Jeanine Santucci and Jorge L. Ortiz report that,

"A drone attack at the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea Fleet wounded six people and shut down a festival marking Navy Day in the Crimean peninsula city of Sevastopol, the mayor said Sunday.
...
The Black Sea Fleet’s press service said the drone appeared to be homemade and described the explosive device as “low-power." Crimean authorities raised the terrorism threat level for the region to “yellow,” the second-highest tier." (Yahoo News : 31 July 2022) (my emphasis)

Hindustan Times : YouTube : 1 August 2022

Even more disconcerting for Putin is the fact that, as reported by Malay Mail,

"Russia is “running out of steam” in its assault on Ukraine, the chief of Britain’s MI6 foreign intelligence agency, Richard Moore (left), said in a brief comment on social media on Saturday.
...
Moore made the remark “Running out of steam...” above an earlier post on Twitter by Britain’s defence ministry, which described the Russian government as “growing desperate” and as having lost thousands of soldiers in its invasion of Ukraine. — Reuters" (Malay Mail : 30 July 2022) (my emphasis) (cf. Also: Charles Kupchan : Times Radio : YouTube : 29 July 2022)

UK Ministry of Defence Tweet : 29 July 2022

It would seem that it is not only Putin's army which is running out of steam.

Earlier, as reported by Asher McShane (left),

"Vladimir Putin has been filmed twitching and visibly uncomfortable with his legs shaking has speculation continues over his health." (LBC : 20 July 2022) (my emphasis) 

More recently (31 July 2022), as reported by Ansar News,

"President Vladimir Putin, 69, was filmed limping while he was given a tour of a military museum as part of a weekend of festivities marking Russia’s Navy Day. The Kremlin leader was also seen struggling to swat away flies from his face using his left arm while his right hung limply at his side. The video is one of many that have brought into question the health of the leader." (Ansar News : 31 july 2022) (my emphasis) (cf also : Daily Mail : 31 July 2022)

Will Stewart, Walter Finch, and Elizabeth Elkind: Daily Mail : 31 July 2022

However, we now have the EU, yet again, vaccillating over its support for Ukraine.

On the one hand, as reported by Euronews,

"– European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell (left) on Friday condemned the atrocities committed by Russian armed forces and their proxies in Ukraine.

“The European Union actively supports all measures to ensure accountability for human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law committed during the Russian aggression in Ukraine,” Borrell said in a statement." (Euronews : 30 July 2022) (my emphasis) 

And on the other hand, as Autumn approaches and Putin continues to limit the flow of gas through Nord Steam1 to the EU, Firstpost exposes the three critical concessions that the EU has made towards Putin.

"In the past week, the European Union has given three big concessions to Russia. Slowly, Europe seems to be withdrawing its harsh sanctions against Russia. Why is that the case? Has Vladimir Putin demonstrated his ability to cripple Europe’s energy security if the EU treats Moscow antagonistically?" (Firstpost : YouTube: 26 July 2022) (my emphasis)

• Kaliningrad transit ban reversed
• Withdrawal of sanctions on Russian oil
• Russian Banks assets unfrozen

 

Many EU countries are now gazing with horror at the effect of rising oil and gas prices on their economies, thanks to Putin's war with Ukraine.

 

Further afield, countries in Africa, the Middle East, and the Far East, are suffering because of the active blockade by Putin of grain and oil exports from Ukraine, nothwithstanding, as reported by Megan Durisin, Aine Quinn, and Onur Ant that,

 

"Russia and Ukraine reached a deal aimed at releasing millions of tons of grain through Ukraine’s Black Sea ports that, if implemented, would mark a vital step toward shoring up global food supplies." (Bloomberg : 22 July 2022) (my emphasis) 

Hardly had the ink dried on this deal when, as reported by European Forum,

 

"Optimism has been dampened shortly after an UN-approved grain deal between Ukraine and Russia was signed on July 22. The deal brokered by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was to be an important step towards easing the global food crisis. Only a day later, Western leaders cried foul as Ukraine’s main wheat export hub was hit by Russian missiles. It came together with Russia announcing its EU gas exports would be lowered, something European leaders feared." (European Forum : 27 July 2022) (my emphasis)

Mark Trevelyn : MSN (Reuters) : 1 August 2022

 

Putin knows that any concessions he may make to ease the export of grain and cooking oil from Ukraine will rebound on him, especially amongst his ardent supporters in Russia.

 

Is Putin now beginning to stare defeat in the face?
 

(to be continued)

Putin has now reached "the point of no return"

That dyed-in-the-wool Soviet foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, has let the 'cat slip out of the bag' by publicly announcing that,  

“It is not only about the DNR and LNR,” said Lavrov, referring to the regions by the acronyms of their self-proclaimed people’s republics, “but also the Kherson region, the Zaporizhia region, and also other territories,” he said." (John Psaropoulos : AlJazeera : 21 July 2022) (my emphasis) 

Good Morning America : YouTube : 21 July 2022

John Psaropoulos further reports that,

"A day before Lavrov’s interview was published, Igor Girkin (left), a former military commander who was involved in fomenting the Donetsk and Luhansk uprisings in 2014, wrote in favour of “the reunification of Novorossiya with the Russian federation along the line Kharkiv-Dnipropetrovsk-Kryvyi Rih-Mykolaiv-Odesa (all inclusive)”.
...
Such a move would entail annexing all of eastern and southern Ukraine. Western Ukraine, Girkin suggested, could be annexed by Belarus. (ibid John Psaropoulos)

Against these empty belligerent remarks of escalation by Lavrov and Girkin, Gordon Corera reports that,

"Russia will struggle to maintain its military campaign and Ukraine may be able to hit back, the head of Britain's foreign intelligence service says.
...
"Our assessment is that the Russians will increasingly find it difficult to find manpower and materiel over the next few weeks," Mr Moore (right) [UK MI6 Chief] told the conference in Colorado. "They will have to pause in some way and that will give the Ukrainians the opportunity to strike back." (BBC News : 21 July 2022) (my emphasis)

As also reported by John Psaropoulos,

"Russia’s problems have not been confined to personnel. Ukraine has been [successfully] attacking Russian ammunition stores far behind the line of contact with increasing frequency since it started receiving HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems from the United States." (ibid John Psaropoulos: AlJazeera) (my emphasis)

And as I reported in my previous blog entry (18 July 2022),

"Vladimir Putin is deploying soldiers to the front line in Ukraine from notorious Russian prisons with a fierce reputation. Criminals from jails will bolster the ranks of the invading forces with the promise of almost £2,800 and their sentences scrapped if they comply." (Benjamin Lynch: The Daily Record: 17 July 2020) (my emphasis)" (Blog Entry : 18 July 2022)

Putin's army is now being forced to resort to sending criminals from jails to the Russian front lines, and the Russian army is fast running short of materials.

Zelensky's army is being fortified as the West continues to supply the Ukrainian army with the necessary armaments and supplies to strike back hard against Putin's invading Russian army.

As reported by Jack Wright (left),

• Britain will send hundreds of drones and anti-tank weapons and scores of artillery guns to Ukraine 
• More than 20 M109 155mm self-propelled guns and 36 L119 105mm artillery guns will be arriving shortly 
• In excess of 1,600 anti-tank weapons and hundreds of loitering aerial munitions will also be sent
  

MoD says weaponry will help bolster Ukraine's ability to defend against the Russian invasion (Mail Online : 21 July 2022) (my emphasis)

We also learn that, as reported by John Bacon, Jeanine Santucci, and Claire Thornton,

"A top U.S. military general says the United States and its allies are considering providing Ukraine with fighter jets, a decision that would sharply escalate the level of weaponry being sent to Kyiv.
...
[US] Gen. Charles Brown (right), Air Force chief of staff, said the jets could come from the U.S. or its allies.
...
"I can't speculate what aircraft they go to," Brown said in an interview at the Aspen Security Forum." (USA Today : 21 July 2022) (my emphasis) (full video: The Aspen Institute : YouTube 20 July 2022)

China's Xi Jinping is now caught in a serious dilemma as he eyes his possible invasion of Taiwan against the response of the US and the West to Putin's invasion of Ukraine..

As reported by Gordon Corera,

"[Mr Moore, the UK's MI6 Chief] revealed MI6 now devoted more effort to China than to any other single subject - the effort in this field having just moved past that devoted to counter-terrorism.
...
He said it was "important" to remind China's leadership of how an invasion of Taiwan could go wrong. He said China's leadership underestimated US resolve and power and this might lead them to miscalculate. "I don't think it is inevitable," he said when asked about a major conflict. (ibid Gordon Corera)

As also reported by Jesse Johnson (right),

"Japan underscored the potentially long-lasting impact of the war in Ukraine on the Indo-Pacific region in its annual defense white paper released Friday, devoting an entirely new section to the conflict and its implications for Asia.

The focus on the ongoing conflict thousands of kilometers away comes as Japan looks warily at military powerhouse China and its plans for self-ruled Taiwan, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida warning repeatedly that "Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow.”

“If Russia's aggression is tolerated, it may give the wrong impression that unilateral changes in the status quo are allowed in other regions, including Asia,” the white paper said. “The international community, including Japan, must not tolerate such aggression.” (The Japan Times : 22 July 2022) (my emphasis)

Putin's war with Ukraine has attempted to up-end the international 'rule-of-law' in favour of an authoritarian, rather than a democratic, status quo.

Lavrov's recent announcement that,

“It is not only about the DNR and LNR,” said Lavrov, referring to the regions by the acronyms of their self-proclaimed people’s republics, “but also the Kherson region, the Zaporizhia region, and also other territories,” 

signifies that Putin has now reached "the point of no return".  

 (to be continued)

Putin continues to flail politically, and in his war strategy against Ukraine

Kateryna Tyshenko (left) reports that,

"The scale of military training for children in Russia is expanding. In Belgorod Oblast alone, 500 cadet classes and about 1000 young army classes have opened for enrolment.

Quote: "500 cadet classes and about 1,000 young army classes have been opened in Belgorod and Belgorod Oblast." (Yahoo News: 17 July 2022) (my emphasis)

Mark Felton Productions : YouTube : 13 May 2020

Let us also recall that, as reported by Will Stewart (left),

"Russia is recruiting prisoners to fight in Ukraine with the promise of almost £3,000 and their sentences being annulled if they come back alive after six months.
...
Inmates are being actively recruited in St Petersburg jails, according to independent media outlet IStories.
...
The convicts are told they will be put on the frontline to hunt down 'Nazis' in Ukraine in an arrangement that suggests they will be deployed as cannon fodder." (Mail Online : 5 July 2022) (my emphasis) 

As also now reported by Benjamin Lynch (right),

"Vladimir Putin is deploying soldiers to the front line in Ukraine from notorious Russian prisons with a fierce reputation. Criminals from jails will bolster the ranks of the invading forces with the promise of almost £2,800 and their sentences scrapped if they comply." (The Daily Record: 17 July 2020) (my emphasis)

As Putin is recruiting imprisoned criminals, murderers, rapists, and setting up his "Youth Army", Jessica Warren and Lizzie May reports that

"Russia has lost 30 per cent of its forces with 50,000 soldiers dead or injured and almost 1,700 of Putin's tanks have been destroyed, the UK's Chief of the Defence Staff has revealed.
...
Head of the Armed Forces Admiral Sir Tony Radakin has said Vladimir Putin has 'already lost the Ukraine war', with nearly 4,000 armoured fighting vehicles belonging to Russia having also been ruined." (Mail Online : 17 July 2022) (my emphasis)

And again we have Putin's glove-puppet, Dmitry Medvedev, throwing yet another tantrum, this time warning that Ukraine 'dare not' attack Russian forces in Ukraine's Crimea.

As reported by The New Voice of Ukraine,

"According to the Russian Interfax media agency, without naming anyone in particular, Medvedev said that "individual exalted blood-thirsty clowns... are trying to threaten us, I mean the attack on the Crimea, and so on,” referring to Ukrainian statements on the liberation of the Crimean peninsula.
...
“In this regard, I want to say that it is quite obvious that they understand the repercussions of such statements, and the consequences are obvious that if something like this happens: for all of them there will immediately come a ‘judgment day’, swift and brutal,” said Medvedev.
(New Voice of Ukraine : 17 July 2022) (my emphasis)

Ukrainian News also reports that,

"If the authorities of Ukraine decide to attack the Crimean Bridge, it will turn into a devastating retaliatory blow, said the member of the Russian State Duma Mikhail Sheremet (left). This was reported by Info24 on Sunday, July 17.
...
The MP emphasized that the responsibility for a possible attack will also be borne by the United States, since, according to him, the United States supplies the Ukrainian state with weapons. (Ukrainian News : 17 July 2022) (my emphasis)

Again do we have the implicit 'nuclear' threat being pushed by Putin and his cohorts in the Duma.

It really beggars belief that those Russians forever shaking the big stick of the 'nuclear' fire-power that Putin controls simply cannot comprehend that Russia, itself, will come under nuclear attack should Putin dare to "press the nuclear button".

And as Putin contiues to wield his 'nuclear' stick, Apoorva Kaul reports that,

"The chairperson of the Parliament defence committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (left with Scholtz) has urged German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to hold a National Conference on Ukraine at the earliest to discuss additional measures needed to help the war-torn nation.
...
She has called on Germany to "take lead in Europe" in supporting Ukraine against the Russian military offensive. Earlier, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann had urged German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to provide heavy weapons to Ukraine. After her appeal, Germany started providing military equipment to Ukraine." (Republic World : 17 July 2022) (my emphasis)
 
But all eyes are on July 21st, when Germany is due to get Nord Stream1 back online.

Zelensky has already urged Canadian PM Justin Trudeau not to make the export of German gas pipeline equipment a special case that can circumvent the current sanctions against Putin.

As reported by Sergiy Karazy and Max Hunder,

"Ukraine opposes Canada handing over a turbine to Russia's state-controlled Gazprom for natural gas supplies to Germany as the move would contravene sanctions on Russia, a Ukrainian energy ministry source told Reuters on Thursday.
...
Gazprom cut the capacity along the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to just 40% of usual levels last month, citing the delayed return of equipment being serviced by Germany's Siemens Energy in Canada." (The Gazette : 7 July 2022) (my emphasis)

Furthermore, as reported by Teresa Gottein Martinez,

"In 2020, gross domestic product (GDP) shrank by 4.6 percent before jumping again by 2.9 percent in 2021.
...
At the beginning of the year, Mr Habeck announced a growth of 3.6 percent for this year. But after four months after war broke out in Ukraine, not much of that is left.
...
The latest forecasts from the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and the Leipzig Institute for Economic Research consider only 1.5 percent to be realistic – and only if gas from Russia returns. (Express : 11 July 2022) (my emphasis)

Angela Merkel has left German industry with a legacy of dependency on Putin's gas, which is now coming to haunt her and the German economy.

As Oliver Moody (right) writes,

"Today large parts of Merkel’s legacy are in ruins. Ukraine is fighting for its survival under a Russian artillery onslaught. Nord Stream 2 is effectively dead. Russia has turned its energy leverage not against Kyiv but against Germany and Europe, threatening one of the country’s worst economic crises since the Second World War. (The Times : 16 July 2022) (my emphasis)

Putin is now desperately attempting to gain concessions from the West by re-shaking his 'nuclear' and 'gas' sticks, and releasing murderers, rapists, and sundry criminals to re-supply his fallen soldiers on the front in his war against Ukraine, but to no avail.

He continues to flail politically, and in his war strategy against Ukraine, as his downward descent in the apocalyptic abyss continues.

STOP PRESS : 19 JULY 2022

Jens Stoltenberg, General Secretary of NATO, chastises those in the EU dragging their feet over FULLY supporting Ukraine.

 EPP Group : YouTube : 18 July 2022

(to be continued)

Putin is now flailing desperately as he continues to fall into the apocalyptic abyss.

Putin, having fallen into the abyss, now finds himself confronted with diminishing returns in his onslaught against the Ukrainian people.

As reported by Maria Grazia Murru (left),

"The Ukrainian military on Tuesday reported destroying a Russian ammunition depot in southern Ukraine, resulting in a massive explosion captured on social media, while rescuers said the death toll from a weekend Russian strike in the country’s east grew to 45.
...
The precision of the strike suggested Ukrainian forces used U.S.-supplied multiple-launch High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS. Ukraine indicated in recent days that it might launch a counteroffensive to reclaim territory in the south as Russia bombards the eastern Donbas region." (AP News :13 July 2022) (my emphasis) (cf also: Express : 12 July 2022)

Channel 4 News : YouTube : 12 July 2022

As reported by Francesca Edwards, Olivia Stringer, Emma Crabtree,

"Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has raged at Vladimir Putin, telling him it is time to act on the UN's plans to set up a sea corridor for Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea." (Express : 13 July 2022) (my emphasis)

In the above TV address, (Express : 13 July 2022), President Erdogan explicitly states that,

"The military operation launched by Russia to Ukraine is not acceptable and we reject it. This (state?) is contrary to the International Law and it is a huge strike on the stability .. and prosperity of the region"

President Erdogan goes on further to say that,

"I have once again re-affirmed that Turkey is putting a lot of effort to provide the territorial integrity of Ukraine, which I have re-affirmed to Mr Zelensky ..".

Significantly, he also stated that,

"So starting with the Crimean Tartars .. in the region .. we will our share in order to protect our brothers and sisters in the region [i.e. in Crimea]"

Meanwhile, Paola Tamma (right) reports that,

"EU finance ministers Tuesday approved a European Commission proposal for €1 billion in macro financial assistance to Ukraine, to be provided as a long-term concessional loan.
...
The amount will be backed by an EU budget guarantee, and the EU budget will subsidize interest payments. The aid is part of an international effort to plug Ukraine's budget deficit and avert a financial crisis in the war-torn country." (Politico : 12 July 2022) (my emphasis)

Matt Berg (left) further reports that,

"Ukraine will receive another $1.7 billion in aid from the United States and the World Bank to pay health care workers’ salaries and provide other essential services, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday." (Politico :  12 July 2022) (my emphasis) 

But, as reported by Jack Walters (right),

"According to the Milan-based newspaper Corriere della Sera, Germany blocked the allocation of €9billion (£7.61billion) in aid to Ukraine.
...
The Italian news outlet even goes as far as to claim Berlin is preparing to violate some sanctions against Moscow in order to obtain more gas supplies from Russia through Nord Stream pipelines." (Express : 11 July 2022) (my emphasis) (video: Express 11 July 2022)

Express : 15 July 2022

This is to be expected since, with the FULL support of Angela Merkel and Ursula von der Leyen [current President of the European Commission], German companies were key bankrollers of Nord Stream2.

Let us recall what Ursula von der Leyen said in 2018 regarding the Nord Stream2 pipeline..

"If you look at the gas pipeline ...Germany is an independent country where energy supplies is concerned.." (CNBC : Aug 20 2018) (my emphasis)

And now, as reported by Ambrose Evans-Prichard (left),

"Vladimir Putin has prepared the ground for a drastic cut in supplies of both oil and gas at any moment, giving him the means to strike a psychological hammer blow against the Western democracies before a global recession erodes his energy leverage.
...
The coming weeks may be his best chance to try to force the West to the table on Russian strategic terms, locking in territorial gains on Ukraine’s Black Sea coast and in the Donbass before the delivery of heavy weapons from NATO raises the military cost for Russia to excruciating levels." (Daily Telegraph : 13 July 2022) (my emphasis)

Putin is now flailing desperately as he continues to fall down the apocalyptic abyss.

 

STOP PRESS : 15 JULY 2022

 

 Emma Crabtree (left) reports that,

• "‘Desperate’ Putin authorises over 100 new laws in a day including Hitler-esque youth group' 
• The ‘Foreign Agents’ law means authorities in Russia can label those they consider under “foreign influence” as a “foreign agent” even in the absence of any evidence of foreign funding. 
• One of the more concerning laws is the creation of a new nationwide youth group of Putin’s ‘new Pioneers’ which is eerily reminiscent of the Hitler Youth. 
• The movement creating this group will be called ‘The Great Change’ and will be entirely under the control of the President and membership is theoretically voluntary. 
• The group is open to children from the age of six until they finish school or technical school, or college and in the draft bill it is for “the comprehensive spiritual, moral, intellectual, and physical development of children” and to educate them on “patriotism, civics, and respect for their elders”. (Express : 15 Juy 2022) (my emphasis)
  

One is reminded of the pro-Putin Nashi movement (right: Emblem of Nashi) inaugurated in 2005, with the goal of,

"...  the goal of the new movement, Nashi, was to put an end to the "anti-Fatherland union of oligarchs, anti-Semites, Nazis, and liberals." Several Moscow newspapers suggested the goal of the group is actually a bit more specific: to eventually replace the party of power, United Russia." (Wikipedia)

(to be continued)